1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to circuit protectors and, more particularly, to a protection circuit for high side drivers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's automotive vehicles, electrical systems commonly include electronic modules. The electronic modules are used to control most operations of the automotive vehicle. For example, the modules can control the door lock and unlock relays, lighting relays, and many other electronic functions.
During production assembly of the automotive vehicles, electrical wires may be pierced, bent, or cut and may be placed within the automotive vehicle. The use of damaged wires or undetected inoperative electronic devices may cause the electronic modules to source currents beyond their ratings, which will cause failure of the electronic modules.
Others in the art have tried to incorporate thermal devices for electronic module protection. The thermal devices monitor the heat given off by certain electrical components and shut down a system if the thermal energy becomes greater than a predetermined value. However, the cost of thermal devices is relatively expensive. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an inexpensive and easy to install electronic module protection device.